OXFORD, Ohio
- Sophomores
scored all four goals, led by forwardAustin
Czarnik's two, to rally the top-seeded and third-ranked Miami University hockey
team past Michigan State, 4-1, Saturday night at Steve Cady Arena. The win
forces a deciding Game 3 Sunday in its Central Collegiate Hockey Association
(CCHA) best-of-three quarterfinal series after the teams split the first two contests.

The
RedHawks, who dropped Game 1 of the series, 3-0, Friday night, responded with
more energy and determination Saturday, as they outshot the Spartans, 37-17.
Miami also improved to 6-0-1 on Saturday following a series-opening loss on
Friday.

"We
had no effort (Friday) night. That was the message," Czarnik said. "We started
battling in the pregame skate. That really got us going there and it just
carried over into the game."

He
continued, "We did a good job of attacking the net today. We got pucks to the
net and won battles in front of the net. That was our key focus for today and
we were successful with it."

Miami
(23-10-5) trailed for the first half of the opening frame, as it allowed a goal
in the first minute of action for the first time this season. Michigan State
(14-24-3) opened the scoring on the power play just 28 seconds into the game
after senior defenseman Steven Spinell was called for contact to the head -
elbowing. Travis Walsh fed Greg Wolfe at the bottom of the right circle,
setting up a cross-ice pass to Matt DeBlouw, who was unguarded near the far
post for the putaway.

The
RedHawks, however, wouldn't trail for long, scoring four unanswered goals, with
the first two goals coming within three minutes of each other at the 10:38 and 13:01
marks of the first period.

Sophomore
forward Jimmy Mullin, a Cincinnati native, redirected a freshman defenseman
Matthew Caito shot from the point past MSU goaltender Jake Hildebrand, who
tallied 33 saves. The goal, which tied the game, was Mullin's sixth of the
season. Sophomore forward Cody Murphy also earned an assist on the play.

Miami
took the lead for good after freshman forward Riley Barber's steal behind the
Spartans' net led to a Czarnik short-handed goal. After the takeaway, Barber's
initial backhand shot was blocked, but Czarnik was there to knock in the loose
puck as it rested on the goal line. The goal was the sophomore forward's fourth
short-handed score of the season, which are the most in the country. Barber,
who tallied two assists Saturday, both on Czarnik goals, leads the CCHA in
points with 38 and is also the top-scoring freshman in the nation.

"I
thought we came out with some intensity (in the second period)," MU coach
Enrico Blasi said. "When they made it one nothing, for us to tie the game and
then to go up with a short-handed goal, that was huge."

Murphy
put the RedHawks up, 3-1, in the second stanza, as he found the back of the net
with 7:49 left in period. Caito tallied his second helper of the game, finding
Murphy, who skated through the neutral zone and ripped a hard wrist shot from
the top of the left circle. The goal was Murphy's 10th of the season while he
finished with two points on the night.

Miami
outshot MSU, 20-5, in the middle frame and finished 0-for-1 with the man
advantage in the period, the RedHawks' only power play of the night. The
Spartans were 1-for-4 on the power play Saturday.

Czarnik
padded the host's lead midway through the third period, as he beat Hildebrand
with a wicked, top-shelf backhand shot. Barber, who found Czarnik from behind the
net, and senior defenseman Joe Hartman earned assists on the play.

Freshman
goaltender Ryan McKay was solid in net for the RedHawks, making his fourth
straight start and seventh start in Miami's last eight games between the pipes.
He finished with 16 saves, holding the opposition to a goal or less for the 13th
time in 19 career starts.

The
RedHawks host Michigan State in the third and final game of the CCHA
Quarterfinal playoff series Sunday night at Steve Cady Arena. Puck drop is set
for 7:05 p.m. Tickets for Sunday's game can be purchased here.
The winner of Sunday night's Game 3 advances to the CCHA Semifinals next
Saturday, March 23, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich.

"Here
we are," Blasi said. "We have to play tomorrow night, that's why they call it a
series. We have to be ready to go."